Verbena plant named ‘Balazmapurp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Balazmapurp’ characterized by its purple-colored flowers, intermediate serrate, dark green-colored foliage, good basal branching character, and spreading and trailing growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Verbena hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balazmapurp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Verbena plant,botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Balazmapurp’.

The new cultivar was developed by the inventor through a controlledbreeding program during December 2001 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. Theobjective of the breeding program was the development of Verbenacultivars with a trailing habit, continuous flowering, excellent basalbranching, small, dark green-colored foliage, and attractive flowercoloration.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the Verbena hybridacultivar Balazdapi, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,807, which exhibits amounded-trailing growth habit, dark purple-colored flowers, and darkgreen-colored foliage. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar wasthe Verbena tenuisecta cultivar Serenity Lavender, not patented, whichexhibits a mounded-trailing growth habit, light lavender-coloredflowers, and small, serrated dark green-colored leaves.

The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the above cross-pollination inApril 2002. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stemcuttings in West Chicago, Ill. since April 2002 has demonstrated thatthe characteristics of the new cultivar, as herein described, reproducetrue to type and are firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balazmapurp’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Verbena plant:

-   -   1. Purple-colored flowers.    -   2. Intermediate serrate, dark green-colored foliage.    -   3. Good basal branching character.    -   4. Spreading and trailing growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from the female parent primarily inflower color and leaf margin and from the male parent primarily inflower color and leaf margin.

Plants of the new cultivar are most similar to the cultivar Lanai™‘Blue’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of thenew cultivar differ from plants of Lanai™ ‘Blue’ by the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller flowers than plants        of Lanai™ ‘Blue’.    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are more floriferous than plants        of Lanai™ ‘Blue’.    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar are narrower than plants of Lanai™        ‘Blue’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from color values sited in the detaileddescription, which more accurately describes the colors of‘Balazmapurp’. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 12 weeks in agreenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balazmapurp’.

FIG. 1 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Balazmapurp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where color terms of ordinary significance areused. The color values were determined on Sep. 24, 2004. The readingswere taken between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. under natural light conditions.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. Plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in10 cm pots for 12 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 70-80° F. (21-26° C.)during the day and approximately 62-65° F. (17-18° C.) during the night.Greenhouse light levels were maintained at approximately 5,000-8,000footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar ‘Balazmapurp’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘Balazdapi’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,807.        -   Male parent.—‘Serenity Lavender’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6-9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21-28 days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 5-7 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous with good basal branching.            Pinching improves basal branching.        -   Form.—Spreading and trailing.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 9.4 cm. Width (area of spread): Approximately            53.6 cm.        -   Branch.—Quantity: Approximately 6 per plant. Shape: Square            in cross section. Length: Approximately 21.5 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.6 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:            144B. Length of internode at middle of branch length:            Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Foliage.—Type: Simple. Fragrance: None. Arrangement:            Opposite. Orientation to stem: Right angle. Shape: Ovate.            Margin: Parted. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Texture of            upper surface: Densely covered with short stiff hairs.            Texture of lower surface: Glabrous except for dense            pubescence along veins. Leaf length: Approximately 2.1 cm.            Leaf width: Approximately 2.2 cm at widest point. Color of            upper surface of mature leaf: Closest to 137B with venation            of 145B. Color of lower surface of mature leaf: Darker than            138A, with venation of 145B. Petiole length: Approximately            6.2 mm. Petiole diameter: Approximately 2 mm. Petiole            texture: Pubescent on lower surface and along margin and            glabrous on upper surface. Petiole color: 145B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balazmapurp’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            flowering from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Inflorescence.—Type: Corymb. Quantity per plant:            Approximately 9. Height: Approximately 3.6 cm. Width:            Approximately 4.5 cm. Quantity of fully opened flowers per            inflorescence at any one time: Approximately 24 cm.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Approximately 4.2 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.2 mm: Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:            144A.        -   Lastingness of bloom.—Approximately 5-7 Days.-   Flower description:    -   -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3-6 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open floret. Shape:            Spherical to oval. Length: Approximately 2.6 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.6 mm. Color: N88B.        -   Type.—Salverform. Corolla shape: Round. Corolla diameter:            Approximately 1.6 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Five, fused at base forming tube. Shape:            Obovate. Appearance: Velvety. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Emarginate. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of            lower surface: Puberulent. Color of upper surface when first            open: N81A. Color of upper surface when fully open: Between            N82A and N87A. Color of lower surface: N87B. Whiskers of            155C surround the opening of the corolla tube. Petal color            at sensecence: 95A.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.6 cm. Diameter at            apex: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base: 1.0 mm.            Texture of inner surface: Pubescent. Texture of outer            surface: Puberulent. Color of both inner and outer surfaces:            155C.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular, formed by 5 fused sepals, 5 toothed,            5 ribbed, with stipule. Length: Approximately 8.8 mm.            Diameter at apex: Approximately 2 mm. Diameter at base:            Approximately 2 mm. Color of inside/upper-surface: 143D.            Color of outer/lower-surface: 143D. Stipule shape:            Lanceolate. Stipule apex: Acute. Stipule base: Truncate.            Stipule Margin: Entire. Stipule length: 4 mm. Stipule width            at base: 2 mm. Stipule texture: Upper surface: Glabrous.            Lower surface: Pubescent. Stipule color: 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—There are 4 stamens. Anther shape:            Bi-lobed. Anther length: 0.6 mm. Amount of pollen: None            observed. Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length:            1.38 cm. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma length: 1.2 mm. Stigma            color: 145A. Style length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Style            color: 145B. Ovary diameter: 1.6 mm. Ovary color: N144C.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pests and pathogens    common to Verbena has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena hybrida plant named‘Balazmapurp’, substantially as herein shown and described.